The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-09
HENRY CLAY DEAN.
Incidents in the Variegated Career of the
Famous 'sSage of Rebels Cove"

Famous 'Sage of Rebels Cove"
Keokuk Special to st. Louis Globe-r emocrat.
Henry Clay Dean, who died on Sunday, at his
home in Putnam county, during the civil war
and the reconstruction period following it was
one of the most remarkable political figures Of
Missouri He was Virginian by birth, and ed
ucated for the ministry. became an itirerant
Methodist preacher shortly after he reached his
majority. In politics he was then Wing, and
was Chaplain of the national House of Repre-
sentatives for some time during the supremacy
of that party. In 1860 he left Virginia and re-
moved to Iowa, where be remained during the
first year of the war, writing and speaking
against its causes He then came to Missouri
and settled in Putnam county, calling his beau
tisul country home 'Rebel Cove" He there
practiced law, specialized in land and made
money. During this time he became known
through the State as an eloquent and bitter
Democratic campaign orator and when ex-Sena-
tor David H. Armstrong was chairman of the
State Democratic central committee he was ont
of his most effective assistants. Ha was bitter
partisan, exasperatng and injudicious when adj
dressing assemblage Of people who did not
agree with him, and he was never sent to doubt
full districts, but always among people strongly
Southern i'll their ideas and feelings He wrote
several books during and after the war. the best
known being THE Crimes of the War; which
had large sale.
In personal appearance Henry Clay Dean was
tall, straight as arrow. and about two hun
dred pounds in weight. He was handsome
man into old age. and socially popular. He was
sixty-fve years of age, and leaves widow.
/ Early in the war of the Rebellion Keokuk. fus,
was recruiting point for the Northwest, and
G1v,sA erA~ Ill ~.-s~A
and moving to the front, that they did not re-
main long enough to become familiar with the
leading characters Of the city. During those
troublous times Henry Clay Dean made Keokuk
his principal headquarters, and with his accus-
toned stoicism did as he pleased, and talked as
seditiously as he saw fit with no fear of bodily
harm. for all the old inhabitants knew Henry
Clay Dean. In those days Judge Claggett was
editor of the Constitution, rabid anti-Abotion-
ist paper. and the Judge was boon companion
and crony of Mr.. Dean, and, they were one in
opinion, they were marked as the enemies of the
Union cause who were tolerated simply because
they were old Inhabitants. The famous and
blooGless battle of Croton, which even now, at
ter nearly quarter of century has passed,
will bring smile to the face of those who were
| near enough to know what the battle was. drew
the line on Messrs Dean and CIagett. who ridi-
culed the conduct of the home guards who went
ont to Canton for amusement, and who never
stopped running after testing the ammunition of
Sterling Price and Quantrells men-the former
and the result of their ridicue that the Con-
stitution printing Office. type, presses and furni-
ture were seized by the Union troops aud
| dumped into the Mississippi, while Mr.. Dean
| was dragged from his house to be hanged to
| lamp-post
| There seemed no hope for the Rebels Cove
| man. unless he would renounce his confederate
principles, and this he stoutly refused to do.
| He dragged through the streets by an infu-
rated mob of soldiers and citizens and had been
| placed upon a dry goods box beneath conven-
| ent lamp post on Main street preparatory to be-
| ing swung off into eternity. when Judge j. B.
! Howell editor of the Gate City. Republican pa
per, and who was afterwards United States Sem
ator from Iowa, and member of the Alabama
Claims Commission, put in an appearance, and.
bareheaded and coatless mounted & wagon and
Howell was popular with the people aud loyal to
the core and he stayed the proposed lynchirg
long enough TO secure the attention of the crowd,
and then, by his eloqusnce and earnestpass.
saysa the lie Of Henry Clay Dean During al
nor did his nerve desert him for second, and
when he was told that he could go be departed
| as slowly and coolly as though nothing had hap
| pened
| In Iowa especially, but wherever he was known,
| Henry Clay Dean was recognized as an orator
without peer His chief eccentricty was IN the
| matter OF dress. He always wore full beard
| and mustache. unkempt aud unshorn, a soft
SLOUGH hat and attire that bordered on the siov-
emily. He cared not whether his shoes were
laced or uplaced, and was primitive to painful
degree in everything he did, even to the partak-
| ing of his meals, which he usually ate with his
/ hat on, following the precept that fingers were
made before knives and forks. At the Iowa
/ State University he once appeared with a new
| suit of clothes. He was to deliver an address to
| the class, and when he appeared on the stage q
| litter ran through the audience Dean wore q
pair OF pantaloons similar to the traditional sail
! or's trousers, blue flannel shirt, flowing
| brown linen duster and a pair OF brogan shoes,
| unlaced and with the strings whipping about
| his ankles at every move he made. He paid no
attention to his reception. but commenced to
talk as soon as he appeared, and in less than Eve
minutes his hearers had forgotten the attire and
the man, and were enwrapt with as brilliant
! oratory as ever dropped from any li6s.
He was power on the stump. aud during the
/ famous campaign in which Iowa was carried By
the Republicans by scarcely COCO majority,
Dean travelled by day aud talked at night from
| the halfbreed tract to the Western reserve OF
| the State, carrying greater weight for the DEM
ocratic party than all Of its other leaders COM
bined. He never forgot man after being intro
duced to him. and his popularity was largely due
| to this fact. Among all Iowans Republicans
| and Democrats alike, Henry Clay Dean was re-
garded as one Of the most remarkable and
brilliant, as we'll as the most eccentric man with.
in their ken.